Papers of John Adams, volume 13
1782-10-15
In Answer to the Question contained in your Favor of yesterday, I would observe, that I must depend upon Post-Horses and Postilions on the Road, and shall have Occasion for the Amsterdam Coachman and Horses only as far as Utrecht. But You will have the Goodness to desire the Coachmaster at Amsterdam to write to some Person in Utrecht to procure me a fresh supply of Horses when I shall arrive there. For the Remainder of the Journey I must take Post Horses.
531It is at your Choice, Gentlemen, to pay the Hire of the Coach now, or upon my Return.
There is one favor more, Gentlemen, that I have to ask, and that is, that You will be kind enough to furnish me with a Letter of Credit to some Banker at Paris for Cash to bear my Expences while there.1
In the Adams Papers, dated 18 Oct., is a letter from Wilhem & Jan Willink to the Paris banking firm of Van den Yver Fréres & Co., introducing JA and requesting that it render whatever services JA required and furnish him with funds to be debited against the Willinks' account. JA picked up the letter at Amsterdam on the 18th, having left The Hague on the previous day to begin his journey to Paris, where he arrived on the night of the 26th. JA's departure did not go unnoticed. On 22 Oct. the Gazette d'Amsterdam reported that, after taking leave of the States General and the stadholder, JA had left for Paris on the previous Thursday, the 17th, leaving C. W. F. Dumas as chargé d'affaires. A translation of that report appeared in Parker's General Advertiser and Morning Intelligencer on 31 October. For JA's account of his journey, see JA, D&A
, 3:29–37.